Anthony Miller continues to be one of the biggest mysteries for this Chicago Bears team. At certain points he’s fantastic. His two game-winning catches against Detroit and Atlanta were phenomenal. Yet the rest of the picture isn’t all that appealing to the eye. Three drops, which matches his total from 2019, and a host of other bobbles. A couple of questionable route decisions here and there.
Yet if one watches the tape, there remain a lot of instances where Miller is open. The inconsistency and missed opportunities are maddening. Bears fans are getting frustrated with him. They know he has loads of talent but hasn’t lived up to it consistently enough. This has led to a lot of conversations on social media asking the inevitable question.
Should the team consider trading him while he has value?
It’s highly doubtful the Bears do anything like that. They’ve made it clear they like Miller and have high hopes for him. It is a matter of getting him into a groove. Something that has remained elusive through six games. Maybe the quarterback change has a bit to do with it but the 26-year old has some blame in it too.
Not that he plans to acknowledge it. Miller is well aware of the noise swirling around him. That might explain why he took to Twitter recently and let people know they were free to doubt him if they wished. Just don’t beg for forgiveness when they have to eat their words.
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https://twitter.com/AnthonyMiller_3/status/1318691436599123968
https://twitter.com/AnthonyMiller_3/status/1318693042757472257
Anthony Miller still hasn’t mastered himself
He is a player who feeds off emotions. That can be great in the right situations. When the team is finding a groove, he’s one of the guys that seem to explode. The comebacks against Detroit and Atlanta were perfect examples. Chicago found a rhythm both times and right when they needed the death blow, he was the one to deliver it.
On the other hand, when the offense is struggling he tends to be a guy who sinks with it. The Indianapolis Colts game comes to mind. In dire need of a spark, Miller was nowhere to be found. He finished with just three catches for 16 yards. It is reasons like this that the Bears can’t trust him. Hence why his snap count has yet to rise above 50 this season.
Keep in mind it happened five times in the final six games of 2019.
This represents a clear demotion for him. Darnell Mooney, a 5th round rookie, has played 242 snaps this season. Miller has played 213. That represents a less-than-ideal picture of how the Bears coaching staff views him. They trust a kid who had no minicamps or OTAs to prepare more than a veteran with two seasons of experience under his belt. Not a great look.
The good news? There are 10 games left to go. Plenty of time for Anthony Miller to remind people why the Bears traded up for him. Talent was never the issue. There is greatness in him. It is a matter of mastering the highs and lows.